[KBZ77]

I've only done a couple of night rides with borrowed equipment and I'm looking to spend a little of my Christmas money on a light. I was pretty set on the trail rat for price and the good reviews I've read, but was steered toward the Blackburn X3 by a salesperson and after a little research I'm not sure which is the better light. Both are in the price range I'm looking at and both are available at my LBS. They have different lamps and the comparisons don't seem to be apples to apples. I'll primarily be using it for the occasional 1-2 hour singletrack ride.
I think that since Niterider is strictly a lighting company they should have a better product than Blackburn which has other types of products in their line, but I don't know.
Anyone have any experiences with either they would like to share to steer me in one direction or the other?

 

[Debaser]

I've only done a couple of night rides with borrowed equipment and I'm looking to spend a little of my Christmas money on a light. I was pretty set on the trail rat for price and the good reviews I've read, but was steered toward the Blackburn X3 by a salesperson and after a little research I'm not sure which is the better light. Both are in the price range I'm looking at and both are available at my LBS. They have different lamps and the comparisons don't seem to be apples to apples. I'll primarily be using it for the occasional 1-2 hour singletrack ride.
I think that since Niterider is strictly a lighting company they should have a better product than Blackburn which has other types of products in their line, but I don't know.
Anyone have any experiences with either they would like to share to steer me in one direction or the other?

I've had a Road Rat for a couple years, pretty much the same light as the Trail Rat. It's always worked well for me, enough so that I finally bit the bullet and bought a Niterider HID light this fall.

 

[SlowerThenSnot]

Blackburn

I love my x3 some much light. It will go 4 hrs at full steam... Blackburn has a lifetime warantry on everything but the batt...

I really like mine. Just my .02